Season 1 The Lost Episode: Memory or Illusion?
by ChristianGateFan
Summary: Four rainbow crystals have been released, and Zoycite plans to retrieve the ones she lost. At the same time, Serena is trying have fun when she runs into Raye and Darien at the amusement park. But Zoycite's plan results in Serena being seriously injured..
1. Chapter 1

Sailor Moon Season 1 - The Lost Episode

Memory or Illusion? 

Serena Tuskino sighed heavily as she walked through the amusement park. She had finally been able to shove Luna off on Amy for one day, but she could still hear the cat's annoying voice in the back of her mind, nagging her to be more serious about scout business and that they only had one rainbow crystal and needed to get the other three from the Negaverse and Tuxedo Mask. The Negaverse already had two and Tuxedo Mask had one…or was it the other way around? She couldn't remember. It was so hard to keep up.

Tuxedo Mask…just thinking the name made her giggle in delight. He had been a bit more cold than usual lately-especially after the last battle-but then again he had let Sailor Moon keep the musical star locket he had dropped, hadn't he? Maybe he really did like her. Serena sure hoped so. Even if he was rude sometimes, he was always saving her. Not to mention that he was a total hunk. But anyway, enough thinking about anything related to her life as Sailor Moon for today, Serena stopped herself. She was going to enjoy herself today, without Luna, any of the other scouts, or Melvin to bother her. She wasn't going to be down.

For starters, she stopped for an ice cream cone, and then headed toward the carousel. For the first time in days, she sighed in contentment and skipped on.

Far above the park, Zoycite hovered, watching the puny humans on the ground have what they called _fun._ She smirked. There wouldn't be much fun going on anymore soon. She was going to cause a bit of chaos, lure Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon out, and take the crystals they had. She and Malachite _had _to start pleasing Queen Beryl. She would go after the lost rainbow crystals before looking for the other three, retrieve them, and today would be the day.

Darien Shields sighed as Raye tugged him toward the same amusement park. "Are you sure this is where you want to go?" he asked once more. He'd rather be getting the rainbow crystal the Negaverse had back, and tracking down the others. But then, he _had_ agreed a few days before to go somewhere with Raye this afternoon - even if it had been reluctantly.

"Of course I'm sure, Darien. I already knew where I wanted to go last week," Raye replied, in a bit of a huff from his constant questions. "Is something wrong? Don't you like amusement parks?"

Darien hesitated just outside the entrance, tempted to say that he'd rather be somewhere else, but finally he simply sighed again and relented. He shrugged. "No, I don't have a problem with it. Let's go."

"Good!" she said.

Then Raye tugged his arm sharply, pulling him inside the park and causing him to cry out in surprise. _It's going to be a long afternoon…_he thought.

Having ridden the carousel and one roller coaster, Serena was already feeling a bit tired and decided to go on a nice, relaxing ride on the ferris wheel. She smiled as she made her way to it, eating a fresh batch of cotton candy.

"This is the life!" she exclaimed happily. "This is _so_ much better than hanging around with Luna and the rest of the girls, trying to figure out where the Moon Princess and the rest of the rainbow crystal are. What's the big deal anyway? Why does Luna have to get on my case so much?" she wondered aloud. "I mean, we have _one_ of the crystals, so as long as we keep it, the Negaverse will never have all of them, and won't be able to get there creepy hands on the Imperium Silver Crystal." As soon as she said it she stopped dead in her tracks. "Whoa, did I just think critically?" She though about that for a second, them screamed.

"AAHHH! I'm not supposed to do that! I'm not supposed to be thinking about school, or the Negaverse, or being Sailor Moon, or anything like that! NO NO NO! Enough! Stop it, Serena! Stop thinking before your head explodes! AH!" Finally she stopped wailing and slumped, breathing heavily.

"Oh darn, I shouldn't have done that. Now I'm tired," she cried. "Now I _know_ I need a ride on the ferris wheel. But first I need something to drink to go with this cotton candy." She looked at the stick in her hand, and wailed yet again when she saw that the treat was almost gone. "Whoops, better get more food, too!"

Raye screamed in fake terror as the roller coater plummeted down the first gigantic slope, and grabbed onto Darien's arm. The college boy smiled down at her, but then looked away and rolled his eyes. _Middle school girls…._

Fifteen minutes later, after taking her time getting what she wanted at the concession stand, Serena stood at the end of the line for the ferris wheel, a hot dog and jumbo coke in hand. She gobbled up the hot dog quickly, and though about hurrying to get something else, but then decided against it. She still had her drink. By the time in was her turn to get on, it was the last car to changed out, and there was no one in line behind her.

"Yay, I get one all to myself!" She stepped in looked back and forth, and decided to sit on the bench to her left. She sat in the far corner and looked out through the wooden crossbars. The ferris wheel was old and huge, and the car was big enough to hold six or more people, but she had one all to herself. She waited to hear the man close the door and latch it, but instead heard two pairs of running footsteps coming closer. One, however, seemed reluctant. She didn't know and didn't care why-that is, she didn't until she heard an immediately recognizable, and annoyingly unwelcome voice.

"Come on, Darien, hurry up, I think they're almost loading the cars for this ride!"

Darien sighed. "I'm coming, I'm coming."

Serena turned around immediately, and gasped when she saw Raye and Darien rush up to the platform. Great. Just the people she wanted to run into on a great day like this. _Oh please, let him make them wait until the next ride,_ she pleaded silently. But her good mood shattered all over again when the operator of the ride smiled welcomingly at the two.

"You're in luck. This is the last car, and there's plenty of room for two more," he said.

Raye stopped. You sure that's the last one? We kind of wanted a private one."

Darien pulled away from her in muted disgust. "We did not!"

The man laughed. "Yep, I'm sure, but there's only one other girl in here, if you still want to ride this time. If not, you can wait until the next one, and I'm sure I could give you one to yourselves." He winked.

Darien grimaced, then quickly grabbed Raye's hand and ran forward, dragging her with him. "Uh, no, this is fine, no need to wait." But he stopped in the door to car when he saw who was in it, and immediately wished he hadn't done that. When he stopped, Raye got impatient and pushed past him.

"What is it Darien, is there a monster in there?" she said playfully. But then she saw what he did, and stopped as well, slumping. "Oh, there is," she said.

"I heard that!" Serena cried, hurt. "What are you two doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you, meatball head," Darien said in annoyance.

Serena stood, fists clenching. "I've told you not to call me that, Darien!" she fumed. The boy and girl glared at each other until Raye pulled Darien inside and the door was shut.

"Look, we're stuck in here, so we might as well get along for five minutes, okay?" she said as she and Darien sat opposite Serena. But both Darien and Serena crossed their arms and looked away from each other.

"There's no way I could get along with _that_," they both said at exactly the same time. They looked at each other for a moment, glaring again, then looked away. Raye sighed heavily and crossed her own arms. _So much for a romantic ferris wheel ride. But I don't guess it would have been any good anyway. Darien hasn't been cooperating very well today. _

The mood didn't improve at first when the ride began, but after a minute or two, Serena and Darien relaxed, both determined not to let the other spoil their fun.

Zoycite smiled, the dark crystal in her hand pulsing. Holding it out toward the ferris wheel, she set her plan in motion. A black, destructive beam of energy visible only to her shot from the crystal toward the ride's base.

Serena and Raye screamed when suddenly the ferris wheel shook violently, and Darien cried out in surprise as well, for once returning Raye's grip when she clutched his arm in fear.

"What's going on Raye!" Serena yelped.

"How am I supposed to know that, meatball brain!" Raye replied heatedly, and then screamed again when the ride rocked once more. They could see smoke, and what might have been flames, curling up from the ground, and screams echoed through the park. Then, without warning, the wheel began to tilt dangerously.

"Hold on!" Darien cried in warning as it began to fall…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

More screams echoed through the deceptively pleasant daylight as the ferris wheel fell. Darien and Raye were thrown to Serena's side of the car, and it tilted even more. All screamed in fear. But then the drop halted abruptly, with a hard jolt, and an eerie silenced commenced after for several seconds.

Darien was the first to stand, but wobbled on the edge of falling again as the car remained severely tilted, as did the entire wheel. The high school student looked cautiously out one of the viewing sides of the car.

"What happened?" Raye asked nervously as she stood up on shaky legs. Darien took hold of her arm as Serena sat up, happy to have Raye off from on top of her.

"Be careful," he said. "We stopped because the wheel hit a building. We're resting against it."

Serena jumped up to look out too, which caused the car to swing dangerously. "AH!" she cried, gripping the sill on the viewing window of the wooden car.

"Serena, don't you understand the meaning of the words 'be careful'!" Raye cried in annoyance as she and Darien gripped the edge as well to stay steady.

"Sorry…" Serena whined. "But-AH!" The girl cried out again when she saw that the ferris wheel had indeed come to rest against a building, and their car, which was, unfortunately, near the top, was hanging above the roof of the building.

"We're too high!"

"Serena, we're above that roof. Even if we fall, we won't go all the way to the ground. It's not 'that' bad. Besides, we'll be rescued. Don't worry," Raye said.

"Actually, Serena's right," Darien said quietly.

Both girls looked at him, Serena in amazement because she had actually used her name.

"Darien what do you mean?" Raye asked.

"Even though that roof is between us and the ground, we still must be at least three stories above it. Meatball head has it right; we're too high. If we fall from here, we would all probably be seriously injured."

" 'Now' you tell us!" Serena cried. "OH, I don't want to die!"

The car began to swing and shake again, and Darien grimaced. "Would you calm down, meatball head! None of us are going to die!"

But Serena continued to wail, and now it seemed as if that alone was shaking the car, the noise was so loud. Raye and Darien covered their ears.

"Serena, stop it!" Raye yelled. "At this rate, you'll get us killed all by yourself!"

Finally, that seemed to get Serena's attention, and with great difficulty she toned down the crying to a bit of sniffling. "Ooohhh, I came here to have fun, and now this happens. This isn't my day!"

But even with Serena calmed down, and all three being still, the car rocked. Frowning, Darien ventured to look out again, this time up. The girls began to get worried when he looked back at them, now pale.

Serena sniffed. "Would you please not look like that, Darien, you're scaring me!"

Darien sighed. "Sorry. But, unfortunately, now we have more reason to be scared." He took a deep breath as the girls looked at him fearfully. "The connections that keep us hooked to the wheel have broken and come loose." He gulped visibly. "If we're not extremely careful, we really will fall."

"What!" Serena wailed. "Oh no oh no oh no!"

Tension causing a sudden spark of anger, Darien grabbed her arm fiercely, scowling. "Stop it, you hear me!" he nearly yelled. "You've got to calm down!"

Serena shrank back, whimpering.

Raye stepped between them. "Hey, just because she can be a basket case doesn't mean you can treat her like that!" she said, the situation getting to her too.

Raye and Darien glared at each other for a moment until Serena popped up beside them, waving her arms.

"Guys, could you stop that, please! Enough already; we're supposed to stay calm, remember!"

Finally Darien stopped, and his face straightened. He backed of, Raye stopping as well.

Darien clenched a fist. "Right again, meatball head. Looks like you've really hit the jackpot today." He gave her a weak smile. "Sorry about that. We shouldn't be getting into petty arguments right now. We're in enough danger as it is."

Raye nodded. "Right."

* * *

As the car teetered on the edge of falling, the three tried not to move much, and all found themselves drawn into their thoughts. But when a faint, evil laugh drifted to them on the breeze, Serena and Raye looked quickly at each other.

"Man, I knew the Negaverse must have something to do with this!" Raye whispered angrily.

"But what are we supposed to do?" Serena whispered back." We can't get out of here, and we can't transform to get out of here because Darien's with us!"

Raye frowned. "We'll have to let Mercury and Jupiter take care of it," she admitted reluctantly. "At least until we get out of here." Serena replied only by nodding nervously.

* * *

When Darien heard Zoycite's faint laugh in the wind, his eyes widened. No. The Negaverse-now! But if Zoycite was here, if she was causing this, then where was Sailor Moon? He looked around them as chaos ensued throughout the entire park. Other rides were knocked over or destroyed if no one was on them, and screaming people ran amuck. But he saw no sailor scouts. Sailor Moon always showed up wherever the Negaverse attacked. Where was she? Where was the familiar uneasiness that told him she needed his help? Or rather, Tuxedo Mask's help? But all three were jolted out of their thoughts by the sound of a sharp crack… 


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry it's so short! They'll be longer after this, okay? Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Without warning, the car suddenly tipped violently to one side, throwing all of them toward what had been Serena's side of the car again. Soon the car was completely on its side, dangling in midair, and the wood of the side of the compartment began to crack under their weight. Then it broke.

Raye and Darien grabbed onto beams that would hold them, but Serena screamed as she began to fall. Acting quickly, Darien grabbed her arm and stopped her. No longer screaming, she hung from Darien's arm, gasping.

"You saved my life!" Serena marveled.

Darien grimaced from the strain. "You're welcome, meatball head, and when we get out of this you can thank me by losing some weight!"

"Hey!" Serena exclaimed. But when she realized the position she was in, she decided not to press the matter further. There was now nothing under them. If Raye and Darien let go, all three of them would fall. They looked uneasily at the shattered remains of the broken side of the car that lay on the roof below them.

When people on the ground began to scream anew and point up to something on the ferris wheel, Zoycite's interest was perked. Curious, she followed their gestures. What she saw made her smile. Three humans were dangling out of a broken car, their grips on what was left of it the only thing keeping them from falling to what would most likely be their deaths. If Sailor Moon and Tuxedo mask hadn't shown up yet, the imminent occurring would definitely lure them out. Laughing, Zoycite aimed her crystal at the car, completely unaware that the humans she was preparing to kill were the very people she was looking for.

Serena screamed again, and Darien cried out when an unnaturally fierce gust of wind them, and she slipped down on his arm. She barely managed to grab his hand before she would have fallen. Darien grunted from pain in his arm.

"Hold on guys!" Raye encouraged.

"Darien, you'd better not let me go!" Serena cried.

"I'm not going to let go of you, calm down!"

But unfortunately, Darien found that he had spoken too soon, when another gust of wind hit them.

"Hold on Serena!" Raye yelled.

Both Darien and Serena grimaced as they struggled to keep hold of the other's hand. Darien was sweating, and Serena looked like she was about to cry again as the wind blew them about, seeming determined to knock them all down.

Then, just as it seemed they might get through it safely again, the nightmare became reality. Serena's hand was blown out of Darien's, and she began to fall, screaming.

"No! Serena!" Darien shouted.

"Serena!" Raye screamed.

Seconds later, the middle school girl's screams were cut sharply off when she hit the roof of the building on top of the splintered shards of wood already there with a sickly thud, and lay still. A momentary silence followed as Raye and Darien stared at where she had fallen, eyes wide, gasping. When had gathered his wits-sort of-Darien called out her name again.

"Serena!" he screamed.

"Serena, can you hear me! Serena!" Raye cried. She stole a quick glance at Darien. Were those tears she saw glistening in the corners of his eyes? But she quickly forgot about it, her own worry for her friend taking over.

Unfortunately though, neither of them had any more time to do anything, as yet another gust of wind shook the dangling shell of the car, and they shouted as they struggled to hang on. But that didn't do them any good when, a moment later, the whole thing broke off.

Darien grabbed Raye as both of them screamed, trying to protect her as much as he could from the coming impact, wondering if any of it would do any good and trying not to look at the roof that was coming up to meet them much too quickly…


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry the last chapter was so short! I was pressed for time and you guys wanted more! Anyway, here's the next chapter. They'll be longer from now on, k? Please enjoy, and don't worry. I can't kill off any main characters, cause I'm trying to stay as close to the series as possible. No alternate junk.Oh yeah, and I've already got another story planned, which takes place in the third, or S season.

Another thing...I make sailor Moon music videos too-Anime and Live Action- but they're all still on my computer. You people know of anywhere I can go on the internet where I put these things up so I can share them with you? Please let me know! Thanks!

Oh yes, and feel free to correct grammer errors or anything like that, so I won't mess up next time. Anyway, Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Zoycite smirked at the sight of the humans hitting the roof and lying still. Surely they were dead by now, and there certainly wasn't any doubt about the one that had fallen first, that had been buried in the debris of the car. But just to be sure, she aimed her crystal at them again, preparing to send a blast of deadly energy their way, when an annoying voice penetrated her thoughts.

"Hold it right there, Zoycite!"

Angered at the interruption, she turned and looked down to see Sailors Mercury and Jupiter looking up at her from the ground. Jupiter had spoken. She smiled.

"Well well well, if it isn't the Sailor Brats. Where are your other two little friends, hmm?"

The girls hesitated before answering. They certainly couldn't tell her that they didn't know. Finally Mercury spoke.

"We don't need them to teach you a lesson!" Amy yelled.

"That's right!" Lita backed her. "We can take you out ourselves."

"Oh really?" Zoycite said. "I'd 'love' to see you try."

Jupiter glared at her, "You want a fight; you'll get one! Go, Mercury!"

Amy nodded. "Right. MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!"

Zoycite cried out as she was blinded. "What! Where'd they go!"

"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"

Zoycite screamed as the unseen attack slammed into her.

* * *

Darien groaned as he began to regain consciousness. _I'm, still alive? _He thought incredulously. After another moment or so, he opened his eyes, then had to squint from the glare of the sun. Slowly, he sat up, grunting and pushing pieces of broken wood off of him. He put a hand to his aching head as he looked around him. He was half buried in the litter the ferris wheel car had made on the roof when it had fallen with them. He had a terrible headache, and his right foot hurt too. Maybe he'd sprained his ankle or something.

Raye was a few feet away, half covered up as wheel, and she was still unconscious. Pulling himself to where she was because he didn't want to stand up on the precarious pile of wood just yet, he began to pull away the debris that surrounded her. As he didn't, she woke up as well.

"Darien?" she said groggily.

Darien nodded. "It's me Raye. Are you okay?"

Raye moaned as she started to sit up. Gently he helped her. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "Other than a killer headache, I think I'll be all right."

Darien smiled. "Yeah, me too."

Raye, meanwhile, was looking up at the ferris wheel, which was leaning dangerously over the building.

"We fell from way up there? And we're alive?"

Darien looked up too, and a shiver ran down his spine. "Apparently so."

Raye sighed, then looked around her, sudden worry on her face, "Where's Serena?"

"Serena…?" Darien began confusedly, his head still not clear. But then, in a flash, it came back to him-the car breaking, Serena dangling from his hand, the gust of wind, her fall, the awful sound when she hit the roof, her unmoving form...His eyes widened.

"Serena! We've got to find her!" he said, starting carefully to stand. "maybe that girl really is a meatball head, but I hope she's oka-AH!"

Darien cried out in pain when he put weight on his hurting right foot. He wasn't expecting the intensity of it, and it brought him crashing down again with a moan. Apparently, the injury was much worse than he had initially thought.

"Darien!" Raye cried in alarm. "What's wrong?"

Darien looked at her, just barely succeeding in keeping the pain off of his face. "I just twisted my ankle or something in the fall. I wasn't careful when I stood. I'm fine."

"You sure? That didn't sound like a twisted ankle-it didn't even sound like a sprained one," she said, referring to his cry.

Darien grimaced. "Uh…" In truth, he knew it was worse than that, but he wasn't going to let it stop him, and he wasn't going to tell Raye about it, either. "Look, don't worry about me. We need to find Serena."

Finally Raye sighed and nodded. "All right. Come on." She offered him a hand, and he took it, then, with her help, stood shakily.

Once he'd stood, Darien released Raye's hand, and they both began to move off, calling Serena's name.

* * *

Serena Tuskino awoke to darkness and pain. _Where am I? _she wondered absently. _What happened? Why does everything hurt so much? _She couldn't move, she couldn't see anything, she couldn't think-for the moment she was utterly helpless. Then, faintly, she began to hear two voices calling her name. Who was it? Who had she been with? She still couldn't remember what had happened. She didn't know what she was doing here, and she was too weak to call to whoever was looking for her. For now, all she could do was wait, and hope.

* * *

"Serena, where are you!" Raye shouted in frustration as she dug through the pile of wood next to her. When all the wood where she was had been displaced, and she could see the rooftop, she dropped to her knees and slapped it. "You've got to be here somewhere!" she cried. Quickly she moved to another spot and began to dig again, but she went to fast, and dropped the first heavy piece of wood she tried to lift, crying out from in her side.

Darien looked up from where he was, and started to limp toward her-though it was more like a hop. "What is it, Raye?"

"Nothing," she replied, beginning to pull wood down again. Darien watched her for a few seconds, leaning against another pile and keeping his injured foot off the ground. As he had suspected, soon Raye stopped again with another cry of pain. He moved forward and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You're hurt too," he said softly. "Take it easy."

Raye gave him a look that almost made him want to back away. "No. I have to find Serena. I mean…maybe she aggravates me half to death most of the time, but she's still my friend! Besides, it's just a cracked rib…or something, I think…" With that, she started in again, still grimacing in pain.

Finally Darien grabbed her arm and spun her around. "Raye, stop it! You're only going to hurt yourself more! Now take it a little easier, okay? I understand how you feel; I want to find her quickly just as much as you do, but it's not worth injuring yourself further over."

Raye glared at him again, but then relented. Pulling away, she eyed him. "All right, I'll take it easy if you'll be more careful with that broken ankle."

He stared at her. "How did you…?"

She laughed. "I'm not stupid, Darien. You're lucky there are plenty of piles of wood around here to prop yourself up on. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to stand up at all."

Darien sighed, suppressing another grimace of pain. "Fine. I'll be careful. Now let's keep looking. "

Raye nodded, and the two parted again.

* * *

For a couple of minutes, the voices calling Serena's name ceased, and she worried that they had given up. But soon they started again, this time more urgent, and by now she was at least able to recognize the voices, even if she still didn't remember what was going on. For several minutes in continued that way, until finally the situation began to come back to Serena. _I fell…_she thought. _I fell from the top of the ferris wheel. I was with Raye and Darien, and…I'm on top of a roof, aren't I?_

Just then, a crack of light came into her vision, and Raye's voice called out again, this time seeming to be right in her ear.

"Serena!"

Serena moaned. "Not so loud, Raye," she whined in a weak and cracking voice.

* * *

Raye's eyes widened when she heard the moan, and faintly heard the words. Then she smiled, and began to dig faster. Soon she saw Serena, sprawled on top of a couple pieces of wood, but mostly on the rooftop. Within seconds she had thrown aside the wood surrounding her friend. Then, carefully pulling one of the two beams out from under Serena, she called out to Darien.

"Darien, over here! I found her!"

At her words, Darien made his way toward her as quickly as he could. As he got closer, he could see Serena on the ground, barely conscious but still complaining as Raye began to pull the last beam out from under her, to give her a smooth surface to lie on. He smiled. But just as he reached them, his smile abruptly disappeared as the piece of wood Raye pulled out from under Serena began to trail blood. It was then that both of them noticed a spot of blood on the front of her shirt as well, that was slowly spreading, and Darien's hopes that she was all right too, dissipated.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Serena!" Raye cried. She dropped the piece of wood and knelt next to her friend, leaning over her. "Serena, are you okay?" she asked urgently.

Serena winced. "If you call 'in excruciating pain' 'okay', then sure."

Raye gulped. "Don't worry Serena. You'll be all right. We'll get down from here and get you some help, okay?"

Serena nodded weakly, and just then Darien reached her side, and knelt next to her opposite Raye. He put a hand on Serena's shoulder, gave her a comforting smile, and then looked back up at Raye.

"You're right; the next thing we need to do is find a way off this roof," he said. "We need to get her to the hospital-not to mention ourselves."

Raye nodded. "Okay. You stay here and rest that ankle. I'll look around." Darien started to protest, but before he could get anything out she had already stood again and walked off, though not before one more worried glance at Serena, who gave her a small smile.

As Raye began her search, Serena looked up at Darien. "What did she mean about your ankle?" she asked softly.

Darien looked down at her in surprise. "What? Oh, nothing. It got hurt in the fall, but I'll be fine."

"Oh, good."

He smiled. "Why do you care?"

She tried to shrug, but instead grimaced and gave up. "Well, you may be a total jerk, but I'm still glad you're all right."

Darien managed a weak laugh. "Thanks."

Serena smiled, but then cried out.

"What's wrong?" Darien asked in alarm, now more alert.

"It hurts…" she cried."Darien, help me…I don't wanna die…"

Gulping back the lump in his throat that had appeared so suddenly he didn't know where it had come from, Darien slipped an arm under her shoulders and gently lifted the top part of her body off the ground and held her.

"It'll be okay. You're not going to die. I won't let anything else happen to you, okay?" he said.

Serena blinked through a whimper of pain, "I'm surprised you care, Darien."

Darien frowned. "Hey, just because you're the most annoying little meatball head I've ever met doesn't mean I want you dead."

Serena tried to laugh, but it ended in another cry of pain. Grimacing, she put a hand to her stomach where the pain was, and when it came away with blood she screamed.

"Darien, I'm bleeding!" she screeched, grabbing his shirt. "Oh, I'm too young to die!"

"Serena, would you calm down?" Raye said as she approached them again. "Getting excited isn't going to improve your chances."

Still whimpering, Serena nodded, tears gathering in her eyes.

Darien looked up at Raye. "Anything?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. There aren't any ladders or steps, and obviously there's no door that lead up here that could go down through. There are a few pipes I could probably get down, and maybe even you if you were really careful with that foot, but there's no way to get Serena down.

Darien gulped, glancing down at Serena before looking at Raye again. "Raye, we have to get down from here. Serena needs medical attention 'now', or…" He trailed off, but she knew what she meant.

Raye looked away. "I don't know what else to do, Darien." When she looked back at him, there were tears in her eyes. "What are we supposed to do!"

Serena looked back and forth between the two from Darien's arms. "Hey. No need to get upset over me," she said, attempting to lighten the mood even though she was aware of her own circumstances. "I'm just the meatball head, remember?"

Raye knelt down next to her and Darien again, attempting a smile. "I know, and if…'when' we all get out of this, we probably won't stop calling you that, but we want you to live, okay. Please hold on, Serena, okay?"

Serena nodded weakly. She could feel her strength draining. _I don't wanna die…_ she cried in her mind, but suddenly she couldn't find the strength to say it again. _I'm so tired…_she thought as her eyes began to drift shut.

At Serena's nod, Raye nodded back, then got up again and went to the edge of the roof. She had to do something. Serena was fading fast. She looked down. People were still running back and forth from the attack. The noise was so loud from the chaos that there was no way anyone would hear if she called down to them. Everyone who had seen them fall must have assumed that they were already dead, and that there was no reason to attempt a rescue. Not that there was anyone organized enough right now to do anything of the sort.

Behind a row of trees on the other side of the park she could see explosions, and colors of blue and green energy. _Lita…Amy…_ Suddenly Raye's eyes went wide, and she began to search her pocket for her communicator. But after a minute or so, she still couldn't find it. _I must have lost it in the fall…_she thought in dismay. _Now what?_

Snapping her fingers, she ran back to where Serena lay curled in Darien's arms, fighting for her life. In the time she had spent observing the ground, her friend's breathing had become labored and ragged. The front of her school uniform was soaked with blood, and a small pool of it was on the ground where she had been laying. Raye gulped back more tears that tried to force their way out. _Even if we do get down, it might already be too late for her…_

Pushing her thoughts aside, she stuck her hand in Serena's pocket, she grabbed Serena's communicator and pulled it out.

"What are you doing?" Darien asked.

"Getting something," she answered simply, not looking at him, then ran back to the edge of the roof where Darien couldn't hear her.

"Amy, Lita, can you hear me? Mercury, Jupiter, somebody come in!"

After a moment of radio silence, Sailor Mercury's image came on the screen. In the background, a battle still raged between Zoycite and Jupiter.

"Raye, where are you and Serena? We could really use some help over here."

"Uh, that would be a little hard right now," Raye said. "Did you see the ferris wheel car that fell?"

Amy nodded. "Yes. Are the two of you helping get people out of there?"

Raye shook her head. "No, Serena, Darien and I were in it."

"What!" Mercury cried. "Are you all right?"

Raye sighed. "Darien and I received some minor injuries, but we'll survive," she said, wincing as well. "But Serena's a lot worse off. She's got a couple of major puncture wounds from the debris in the fall. We-we're not sure if she's going to make it…"

Mercury gasped. "Oh no! Have you gotten medical attention for her?"

"That's the problem; we're stuck on a roof with no way to get down."

"The building the ferris wheel is leaning against?"

"Yeah. Can at least 'one' of you get over here to help us out? I can't transform with Darien here."

Amy nodded. "I'll do my best, but-AH!" An explosion just behind Mercury caused her to cry out. "Sorry Raye, I've got to go! We'll there as soon as we can!"

With that, the screen went blank, and Raye sighed and walked back to Darien and Serena, slipping the device into her pocket.

"How is she?" she asked, sitting on the ground next to them. Serena was barely conscious, moaning on and off as she grimaced and gripped Darien's shirt tightly.

Darien shook his head. "I don't know for sure. All I know is that we're losing her-fast."

A tear slipped from the corner of Raye's eye. "But she can't die! She can't!" she cried. She put her head on his shoulder, beginning to weep.

Darien stared at the sky for a moment, thinking. _How did I end up here? I have one middle school girl dieing in my arms, another crying on my shoulder, and I can't walk because of a broken ankle. How could this get any worse? _When the sky began to blur, he looked down again. When he did, a tear fell from one his own eyes, landing in Serena's hair. His grip tightened on the girl in his arms.

"Come on meatball head, you can make it. Please don't die on us…"

As if in response, Serena's eyes opened. "I don't want too…" she sobbed quietly. "But…I feel so weak, it hurts so much, I can't…" She began to shake, but Darien couldn't tell why. Her eyes began to drift shut again, as if they wanted to close for good.

Raye head popped up, tears still trickling down her face. "Serena, don't!" she cried, grabbing one of the girl's hands. "Serena, hold on!"

"Sorry guys…" Serena whispered.

"Serena, no! Come on, meatball head, stay with us!" Darien cried in alarm, more tears gathering in his eyes. "Serena!"

But despite their cries, her eyes closed, and her body went limp.

"Serena!" Raye shouted. "Serena, no! Wake up! Wake up, please!" she sobbed, shaking her. "Serena!" But after a moment or so, she realized it was useless and, burying her face in her hands, she began to cry even harder.

* * *

Okay people, now chill, okay? I know how it seems, but like I said, I don't kill off main characters, especially not Sailor Moon, so it'll be all right, okay? You'll just have to wait until Monday to find out how, because I won't be at home to type tommorrow. Sorry, but I will update Monday, okay? No Later! I promise!


	6. Chapter 6

I did update Monday! It was like, ten o'clock Monday night, so it might not show up before Monday is over, but I can't help it. Sorry guys! I did keep my promise though. I did technically update Monday, even though my computer crashed and I had to use my brother's, I updated! Enjoy! It's a nice long one, and I suppose it might be a slight bit of a cliffhanger, but not as bad as the others...

Chapter 6

Darien stared silently at the lifeless body of Serena in his arm, unable to breathe. After a moment or so a word went through his mind-_No…It can't be…no…_

"No…" he whispered softly. Then finally able to breathe, he gasped in a gulp of air, but it sounded more like a sob. "No, Serena…" he said again, his voice catching. He felt one of his own tears escape and slip down his face. "Serena…"

Why did he feel this way? She was just an annoying young girl he'd met on the street outside of a jewelry shop. Why was he so upset, so sad all of a sudden? Of course he should be sad that a person had just died-and one he'd known-but why did he feel as if he'd just lost his parents all over again? What was happening to him?

Before he knew what was going on, he found himself shaking as he sobbed over her body. "Serena, no!" he wept. "No, no…"

Then something happened.

An image flashed through his mind.

It was the same princess that had haunted his dreams for so long.

But now the images went farther. He could see her clearly-her white dress and its gold decorations, her beautiful smile-all so familiar somehow.

Darien gasped as he opened his eyes. For a moment he saw the sky above them, but then the images returned, and became more than images. It was as if e were there with the princess, as if he were re-living a memory he couldn't remember for all he was worth. At first, he was in what seemed to be a palace, staring at the moon. Then it changed. He was on the moon, outside another palace, speaking to the princess from the ground as she stood on a balcony. But he couldn't make out the words. For some reason, in the scene, he felt uneasy, as if he shouldn't be standing there, and that was proved when a pack of guards began to chase him, and he was forced to leave.

It changed a second time. He was now in the moon palace, dancing with the princess, and his clothes were similar to what he wore as Tuxedo Mask. They spoke to each other, but again he could not understand what she said, or what he replied. Was it even his voice? Before he had time to ponder, the scene shifted, and he and the princess were holding each other, then he was kissing her.

On the roof, still holding Serena, Darien smiled through his tears. What he was seeing seemed so right somehow, and familiar, but he couldn't remember. Was 'this' his past? But how could it be? As far as he knew, there weren't any people on the moon.

But then the scene changed yet again, and now it became frightening. Again he was with the princess, but around them a battle raged. An evil-looking woman before them frowned. The princess snuggled into hi arms in fear, but then what appeared to be a column of green energy surrounded him, swept him into the air, away from her. Then, suddenly, he was able to understand what he was hearing.

The princes called out to him, and it was no doubt that it was the same voice from his dreams. But for the first time, instead of calling him Tuxedo Mask, she used his name…Darien.

Darien called back to her, and he heard and understood the words he said, but it wasn't him, exactly, saying them. He had no control over it. It was as if he were only an observer in what seemed to be his own body, but he still had no idea exactly where he was, who he or these other people were, or what was going on.

The princes called out again, and ran toward the edge of the balcony.

"No, Darien, I want to be with you!" With the words, she jumped into the whirlwind, and was blown toward him.

"Serena!" he screamed. _Wait a minute, _Darien thought in confusion. _If this girl from my dreams is named Serena…But how can that be? And what in the world is happening here? This is so strange!_

Reaching out for her, and her for him, finally their hands clasped. But then another beam of green energy, this time deadly, shot from the dark clouds above them, striking them and knocking them apart.

Both screamed. Darien felt blinding pain, and then black nothingness engulfed him in death-but not before he caught a painful glance of the girl's lifeless body floating beside him, tears still streaming from her closed eyes…

* * *

Darien gasped as he awoke from the daydream, finding that he had cried so hard in the last part of it that a spot on the front of his shirt was soaked with tears, and he had been holding Serena's unmoving form so tightly that her blood had seeped into his clothing as well.

Suddenly a hand rested on his shoulder, and he turned quickly, surprising Raye, who looked at him with concern as she continued to wipe away her tears.

"Darien, are you all right. You've been sitting there totally out of it for the past five minutes, crying most of the time, and just before you came out of it you were doing it so hard that I thought you were going to choke."

Gulping as he wiped his own tears from his face, Darien nodded. "Yeah, I-I don't what came over me. Sorry to scare you, but I'm all right now."

Raye nodded as he looked back down at Serena. _Oh, meatball head, you really were annoying, but I'll sure miss you…_

Leaving her hand on his shoulder, Raye and Darien sat, not knowing what else to do. But a moment later the silence was shattered when Darien cried out from a sudden pain in his head. Letting go of Serena and letting her body rest on his knees, he grabbed his head, screaming in agony.

"Darien!" Raye cried in alarm. "Darien, what is it!"

"I don't know!" he shouted. "AHHHA!"

It was almost the same feeling he had when Sailor Moon was in trouble, but a hundred times worse. _What's happening to me! _he screamed in his mind, at the same time still screaming out loud. Pictures from his dreams, from the daydream, began to flash through his mind again, faster and faster, and the pain grew, his screams growing louder.

"Darien, what's wrong! _What's wrong_!" Raye screeched, almost ready to panic. But then something started to happen.

The transformation broach on Serena's school uniform began to glow even as Darien screamed in agony. Gasping, Raye stood and backed away as the bizarre scene before her got even weirder. Before her eyes, Serena's wounds began to heal, the light becoming brighter and brighter. The power was coming from the broach, but for some reason also seemed to be coming from her friend's body itself, and it was so great she could feel it in the air around them. Then a blinding flash of light, and in surprise she looked down to find herself transformed, and Serena and Darien…

They looked like they had stepped out of a story book. Darien looked like a prince, and Serena like his princess. The flowing white dress that now covered her healed body was the most beautiful she had ever seen. But Darien was still screaming, hands clasping his head tightly. He had seen none of it so far, but, sensing the light and the power, he forced his eyes partly open through the pain. He gasped anew when he saw Serena.

Raye stepped another step backwards, not wanting her identity to be revealed even as she stared at the two, having no idea what this was, though it seemed familiar.

* * *

When Darien opened his eyes, he gasped, because now Serena looked exactly like the girl in his dreams, and her wounds had healed. The clothes that he now wore also seemed familiar.

All of a sudden, the pain stopped. Gasping in relief, Darien dropped his arms, and the energy and light coming from Serena faded away.

"Serena…?" he whispered. "Princess…?" He seemed to be on the verge of remembering 'something'. If only he could remember it! If only he could know the truth about his past! But it slipped away before he could grasp it, and in another second, all three on the roof looked normal again. Their normal clothes returned. The only thing that had changed from before the crazy event had taken place was that Serena was still healed. The blood on Darien's shirt, Serena's clothes, and the ground, was gone. Her chest moved up and down slowly, assuring them that, somehow, she was alive.

"Serena!" both Raye and Darien cried happily, expecting her to open her eyes any minute.

But she did not wake up as they had expected.

Lights began to surround her body again, but this time they were colored, and much softer. Raye recognized them as the same type of light that engulfed Serena when she was transforming.

"What going on!" Darien cried.

"I don't know!" Raye answered, honestly not knowing. Because this time the lights were not transforming her-or at least it didn't look like it. This time they seemed to be doing something else.

A moment later their question was answered-partially-when Serena glimmered out of existence, fading away before their eyes.

* * *

Serena opened her eyes. Groaning, she sat up to find herself lying on the ground in the alley next to the building she had been on top of a moment ago. She knew nothing of what had just happened. The last thing she remembered was closing her eyes in Darien's arms, somehow feeling as if it were right to be there…

She looked around her in confusion, and her confusion was furthered when she happened to glance downward, and found that she was transformed! Not to mention healed.

"What!" she cried, standing and jumping nearly three feet in the air. "Okay, now this is really weird! What's going on! Oh, that cat may be annoying but I really wish she were here right now to give me a clue!"

An explosion in the background caused her to stop flailing and turn around. Running out of the alley, she spotted the tell-tale lights of a Sailor Scout battle on the other end of the park. _Why haven't they called me? _she wondered.

Shrugging, she ran in the direction of the battle.


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry this took so long gys! We're on vacation, and it's hard to get in computer time. It might be a few more days before I get the next chapter up, but after that I should be able to finish up quickly, k? Please stick with me! I'm almost done!

Chapter 7

"Serena!" Darien cried out again, grabbing at the empty air in front of him as she disappeared from his grasp. But then, realizing it was useless, he let his arms drop to the ground beside him. "No…What happened to her?"

"I don't know," Raye whispered.

"She's gone," he gulped.

"N-No she's not! She can't be dead, she's-!" But she stopped herself from going any farther. She couldn't tell Darien who Serena was. But she couldn't be gone for good. If that was true, then why did it look as if her wounds had been healed before she'd disappeared? What 'had' happened to her?

Darien dried the tears from his face and looked at her. "What?"

"She just can't be gone," Raye answered, hoping he wouldn't press to know what else she had been about to say.

Thankfully, he didn't. Instead, he looked away. "But she is. I don't like it any more than you do, Raye." Then, wincing, he tried to stand. When he failed, Raye moved forward to help him. Under other circumstances, Darien might have refused it, but he was too distraught at the moment to care.

"Thanks," he said, accepting her hand in helping him to stand and steady himself. But it still hurt.

"Will you be all right?" she asked with concern.

Darien sighed. "I guess…You knew her better. I'm more worried about 'you'"

Raye paled. "I was talking about that injury."

"Oh! Sorry…" He might have continued, but at that moment a thump from the other side of the roof brought their attention away from each other. An arm around Raye's shoulders for support, and on of hers around his, the two turned to seek the source of the sound.

Both were relieved when they saw that it was a fire engine ladder that had been put up to the top of the roof. A moment later, a fireman appeared.

"You people all right?" he called.

Raye started to help Darien towards where the man was. "Yeah. A couple of minor injuries, but we'll be okay," she said. "And boy are we glad to see you. Is it over?"

The man shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Whoever's attacking the park is still here, but not attacking the rides or other people anymore. Now there's some sort of battle going on over on the other side, but it has calmed down here enough to start rescue." He looked past them to the roof, and the wreckage of the ferris wheel car. "You two are lucky you weren't killed. But wait…weren't there three of you that fell?"

Raye and Darien looked at each other for a moment.

"No," Darien said finally. "It was just us."

"Mmm," the fireman said. "I was sure they said there were three, but ah well. Nobody's perfect." With that, he reached out to help them onto the ladder. "Come on, let's get you down from here."

As they finished their climb onto the ladder, Darien cried out in pain, grabbing at his injured foot, his eyes clenched shut.

The fireman looked at him with concern. "There are some paramedics on site. They can look at that ankle when we get down," he said as the ladder began to descend.

"I'm fine," Darien said. "But we think she has a cracked rib…" he said, motioning towards Raye.

"You both need medical attention, son. That ankle looks like it might be broken."

Darien closed his eyes and sighed, pulling his green blazer tighter around his black turtleneck to keep the wind out.

* * *

Sailor Mercury dodged a beam from one of Zoycite's monsters, then spun when a wonderfully familiar voice called out from behind her. 

"Hey Mercury, Jupiter, did ya miss me!"

Amy and Lita turned to see Sailor Moon rushing in their direction, wand in hand, as ready to fight as they had ever see her.

"It's about time, Sailor Moon!" Jupiter called.

"I thought Raye said you were seriously injured!" Mercury wondered.

Serena shrugged as she reached them. "I was-I think. It's all kind of fuzzy."

"Well, we're glad you're okay," Lita said. "But are we going to talk or fight?"

Sailor Moon sighed. "All right, all right. " She looked around. "Where's Zoycite? I'll get her for messing up my ferris wheel ride and almost killing me!"

"She got away and a Negaverse monster to fight us," Mercury said, an uncharacteristic level of aggravation in her voice.

"Sailor Moon shuddered in disgust. "Eww, nega-crud again?" But then the monster ran toward them and she squealed, dodging a blow. "AH! Oh, I wish Tuxedo Mask were here!"

"MECURY BUBBLES, BLAST!"

The monster was blinded, and for the moment couldn't find them.

"We haven't seen him," Amy said quickly. "You have to fight without him when he's not here, Sailor Moon, now come on!"

Serena nodded. "Got it." She started to pull her tiara from her head, but one of the monsters had charged through the dissipating fog from mercury's attack, and knocked Sailor Moon to the ground.

"Sailor Moon!" Jupiter and Mercury cried in alarm.

The monster stood over the champion of justice as she screamed, preparing to go for the kill…

* * *

Darien gasped as a familiar feeling shot through him. _Sailor Moon!_ he thought suddenly. _She needs help! _

The paramedic that was putting a temporary splint on his ankle looked up at him. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

Darien shook his head at the woman. "No, it's not that. Sorry."

A moment later she finished, and he jumped as quickly as he could without hurting himself any further-though he knew that was probably just what he was going to end up doing as soon as he got away from here.

"Where are you going? You need to get to the hospital so that can be treated better."

"I'm fine. You did a good job, and I will go to the hospital later, but I really need to do something first," Darien said quickly, then started to move off. But the woman grabbed his arm.

"Sir, I really wouldn't advise you leaving. You're injured, and whatever has been terrorizing this park isn't gone yet."

He pulled away from here. "I know," he said, and then made his way toward the direction of the battle as quickly as he could.

"Darien!" Raye called from where she sat, being treated by another paramedic. But he was already gone. It was then that she realized she had better be moving too, and she could use both feet perfectly. When the man treating her turned to converse with a colleague, she jumped up and ran to help her fellow scouts.

* * *

Sailor Moon screamed as the monster raised in grotesquely deformed arm, with its strange appendage designed to help it wipe out its enemies-and right now that enemy was her. She struggled to get up, but it had her down too tightly. 

"Ah! Jupiter, Mercury, help! I don't wanna die!"

"You're not going to die, Sailor Moon!" a male voice called.

Both Serena and the monster looked up to see Tuxedo Mask land near them from wherever he had jumped. But he landed on his left foot alone, and wobbled uncharacteristically, for a moment losing track of his usual grace.

The monster smirked at him. "Oh, you think so?" it said in a gravely voice, suddenly reaching down and wrapping a hand-or whatever it was-around Sailor Moon's neck and beginning to squeeze.

"Sailor Moon!" Jupiter and Mercury shouted. Jupiter started to attack, but Tuxedo Mask called her off.

"Don't! You'll hit Sailor Moon too!" Realizing he was right, Lita dropped her arms, growling low in her throat at the enemy harming her friend. Both other sailor scouts watched on, helpless, hoping Tuxedo Mask could free her, which was what he did. Pulling a rose from his jacket, he threw it at the monster, who cried out and dropped Sailor Moon. But when he threw it, he stepped forward with his right foot, not thinking, and grunted as he went down on one knee.

Sailor Moon was sitting up, rubbing her neck, when she saw this. "Tuxedo Mask?" she asked.

But he stood up again, shaking off whatever it had been. "I'm fine. Now get him, Sailor Moon!" But today he seemed preoccupied, as if something were wrong.

"Right!" she nodded. But when they looked around, it was nowhere to be found. Suddenly it burst into sight and charged at Sailor Moon again. She tried to move, but couldn't.

Frozen in horror, for a split second Darien could only watch, but then an image of Serena's unmoving form flashed through his mind, and he winced. Then a thought pushed it's way into his consciousness. _I couldn't save Serena, but I can save her…_

A second before it was too late, Tuxedo Mask pushed Sailor Moon out of the way, bringing both of them to the ground. Behind them Jupiter brought the monster down a Supreme Thunder attack. When they landed, he cried out, grabbing his right ankle, which looked as if it might be swollen, but she couldn't quite tell through the pants of his tuxedo. But then she looked at his face, which was twisted in pain, and knew that she was not mistaken.

"Tuxedo Mask, you're hurt!" she cried.

Fighting pain, Darien looked into her eyes. The way she moved, the way she spoke, the style of her hair, the way she looked at him…all seemed to remind him of Serena somehow, and he hadn't even known the meatball head very long or very well. But even so, he felt tears stinging his eyes again. _Why am I reacting this way? _And then, for the umpteenth time that day, he wondered _What's happening to me?_

Serena noticed the emotional pain as well as the physical on Tuxedo Mask's face. Now even more concerned, also because he hadn't answered her yet, she asked again. "Tuxedo Mask, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, pulling away from her. "Now hurry and finish that monster off while Jupiter's attack has it down!"

Sailor Moon nodded. Standing to face the monster, she pulled out her wand again. She hadn't had a chance to make her speech, but now, after those close encounters, she didn't really feel like it.

All she could manage was, "All right, Nega-trash, in the name of the Moon, you're punished!" With that, she raised her wand.

"MOON HEALING ACTIVATION!" she cried. A moment latter, the monster had ceased to exist. Sighing, she looked behind her. Surprisingly, Tuxedo Mask was still there for once. He hadn't even stood up. It seemed he was still having problems with his ankle.

Moving to his side, she offered him a hand. Taking it, she helped him to his feet. Once up, he began obviously favoring his right foot. Serena frowned.

"Will you be all right? You didn't hurt that in the battle, did you?" she asked in concern.

Tuxedo Mask shook his head. "No, I…I hurt it earlier. It's not your fault.

"So you have a life outside of this?"

He looked at her in surprise, then gave a weak smile. "Don't we all?"

Serena nodded. "Yeah, I guess we all do. Please…who 'are' you?"

"I can't tell you that. Besides…it wouldn't be fair because I don't know who 'you' are." He started to move off. "I'm sorry, but I really must go now. Oh…and don't forget…I still want all of the rainbow crystals. Guard your well if you don't want it taken."

Then, holding his serious tone and face until he'd turned away to keep Sailor Moon from seeing how badly he just wanted to cry, Tuxedo Mask disappeared between to of the nearest buildings. Images of Serena wouldn't stop torturing his mind, and he didn't stop until he had gone past a couple more buildings and was sure he was out of sight and earshot of the Sailor Scouts and anyone else. Then he stopped in the alley and dropped to his knees, unable to keep the tears away anymore.


	8. Chapter 8

Happy Thanksgiving guys! Here's the next chapter. I'll be able to update again Monday, okay? I promise. I kept my promise last time, so you know I will this time. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 8

Sailor Moon watched Tuxedo Mask go, but a moment later running footsteps behind them caused all three sailor scouts to turn. What they saw was Sailor Mars running toward them. She stopped a few feet away.

"Did I miss it?" she asked.

"Sure did," Jupiter said as she and Mercury gathered around.

"Yes, Sailor Moon just defeated Zoycite's monster, and Tuxedo Mask just left," Amy offered.

"Tuxedo Mask was here? Where'd he go?" Raye asked.

"He disappeared in between those buildings a few seconds ago," Serena said, though for some reason she didn't seem to be all there.

When Raye saw Sailor Moon, she gasped. "Serena, you're all right!"

Serena turned. "Yeah, I guess. Are you and Darien all right?"

Sailor Mars nodded. "We're fine, though Darien ran off a minute ago. I guess he wanted to skip the hospital and just get home. But his ankle will be okay. Oh yeah, and I've got a cracked rib, but it's not that bad. I'll be good as new soon."

Sailor Moon nodded back at her, glad they were okay, then turned away again. Raye smiled and stepped forward, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder. "What are you doing standing there? Go after him. You still might have time to catch him."

Serena turned quickly to look at Raye. "You really think so?"

"Yeah, but not if you don't get going, now move it!" Raye snapped, her normal self reappearing.

Sailor Moon winced, then smiled, turned, and ran off. "Thanks Sailor Scouts!" she called over her shoulder as she disappeared between the same two buildings.

* * *

Zoycite scowled as she hovered over Tokyo. The Sailor Scouts had defeated her monster again, and her plan had failed. But she wouldn't let that be the end. She had one more card to play before it was over this time.

* * *

As Tuxedo Mask sobbed, slowly his transformation dissipated around him, and he was left as Darien again. On his hands and knees, leaning against the alley wall, he wept bitterly.

"Why?" he cried. "_Why did she have to die!"

* * *

_

Sailor Moon ran between the buildings just outside the park for all she was worth, but for all her efforts, she saw no sign of Tuxedo Mask. Finally, almost a block away, she stopped, panting. Putting a hand to the wall beside her for support, she looked around her. But he was nowhere to be seen.

Serena was about to give up when a soft sound from around the corner penetrated her thoughts of Tuxedo Mask. It sounded as if someone was crying, and the voice sounded so familiar…Tuxedo Mask?

Taking a deep breath, Sailor Moon gathered her wits and stepped around the corner, but she wasn't prepared for what she found there. Instead of Tuxedo Mask, she found herself faced with the sight of a sobbing Darien Shields. He was on his knees, his back to her and his hands on the ground, crying uncontrollably.

Serena had to stifle a gasp, a hand to her mouth, to keep from being heard. What was cranky old Darien doing crying in the middle of an alley in downtown Tokyo? Even better, what was he so upset about? Gulping, she took a step forward, ready to let him know she was there, but then he spoke, still unaware of her presence.

"Why?" he gasped, still crying, still shaking. "What's…what's wrong with me!"

Now really worried, Sailor Moon stepped up behind him. Then, hesitating only for a moment, she gently set a gloved hand on his shoulder, while trying to remind herself to act like any other super hero just concerned for a common citizen's well-being, and not as if she knew him.

"Hey, are you all right?" she asked.

Gasping again, this time in surprise, Darien tensed and looked over his shoulder at her. To make it easier for him, she moved in front of him. When he saw her his eyes widened, as if he recognized her.

"Sailor Moon?" he said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

She put her hands on her hips. "What do you mean, 'What am I doing here?' I just defeated that whatever-it-was that was terrorizing the park. I should be asking you what 'you're' doing 'here', mister." But then she dropped her arms, and her expression softened.

"But what's wrong?" Sailor Moon asked with concern. "You look like you just lost your best friend."

Darien gave her a sad smile. "No, not a best friend, definitely, but…someone. She died in the attack."

Sailor Moon gasped aloud. What? People had died? But how? Sure, Zoycite and her monster had done a lot of damage, but had they really killed innocent people, too? And who did Darien know who had died?

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said. "What happened to her?"

Darien dried the tears from his face with the sleeve of his green jacket. "She…she fell from the ferris wheel and was injured."

Serena held back another gasp, and had to force herself not to back away. He was talking about _her_. Darien thought she was dead! What had happened on that roof? She couldn't remember the details after the fall, just brief snatches of pain, Raye and Darien's faces…then nothing, then waking up in the alley. What had really gone on? And why was Darien so upset just because he thought she, the meatball head, was gone? It didn't seen right. Swallowing hard, she listened as he continued.

"She was hurt too badly," Darien said despondently. "Serena didn't have a chance. She-" His voice broke, and he paused, but then, trembling, he held his arms out in front of him as if he were holding someone. "She died in my arms…" he whispered. His arms dropped to the ground again and he sobbed a few more times before looking away.

"I-I'm sorry," he stammered. "I shouldn't be unloading this on you, Sailor Moon. I know it's not your fault; I'm sure you and the scouts did all you could. And you must have enough to deal with in keeping the city safe, without listening to this…"

Taking a deep and slightly shaky breath, Sailor Moon knelt down in front of Darien and but both of her hands on his shoulders until he looked at her. When he did, she spoke.

"It's all right," she assured him. "I don't mind listening, because I care, okay? I care about everyone."

After a moment, Darien smiled. "Thank you," he said. Nodding her welcome, Serena removed her hands from his shoulders and stood.

"It'll be all right, okay?" she said, offering him a hand. Taking it, he allowed her to help him to his feet. When she did, she discovered that he needing the help. He was injured himself. His right ankle was in a splint, and he winced in obvious pain when he stood.

Her eyes widening, Serena remembered Tuxedo Mask earlier. He had been hurt, too. Her mind started to make a connection, but she immediately stopped it. No way. It was just a coincidence.

Darien saw Sailor Moon's recognition of the injury to his foot, and his wince turned into a grimace as he hoped she wouldn't realize anything. When her face returned to normal, he sighed internally, and his face straightened as well.

"What happened to your foot?" she asked.

The young man sighed sadly. "I got hurt the same way Serena did-I fell-but…I didn't die," he gulped. As he leaned against the alley wall for support, Sailor Moon saw tears resurface in his eyes. "Why did she have to be the one to die?" he whispered.

Darien looked at her and gave her a weak smile, holding back the tears.

"You look a lot like her, you know?" he said quietly.

Serena took a step backward, a lump forming in her throat that she couldn't seem to gulp past. _Oh Darien! I didn't know you cared!_ She thought sadly. For just a moment, she wished that she could reveal to him who she really was, reassure him that everything was all right, that she was still alive. But she knew that she couldn't, and as a result of her silence, Serena and Darien simply looked at each other for several long seconds.  
The silence was broken when a mocking voice called from nowhere, "Well, if it isn't the top Sailor Failure. And what's this? Does little Sailor Moon have a boyfriend now? What happened to Tuxedo Mask?"

Sailor Moon recognized the voice immediately, and as Darien looked around in surprise, her fists clenched as she shouted into the air.

"What do you want, Zoycite! You've caused enough chaos and damage already!"

The female general of the Negaverse appeared in the air just above them, laughing.

"I've come to get rid of you, Sailor Moon, and with no one but this helpless boy around, no one's going to stop me!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Darien glared at Zoycite, moving in front of Sailor Moon.

"Get away from her!" he snapped, ignoring her protests from behind him.

Zoycite smirked. "You think you can stop me, do you? Ha, you can't even stand up straight on your own! You should have died that other girl when I personally knocked you down!"

"That was you!" he cried.

"Of course it was me, you stupid human!" she scowled.

Darien was about to give another heated reply when Sailor Moon put a hand on his shoulder. "Darien, don't!" she warned. "That Zoycite is dangerous; she's not from this world!"

His eyes widening, Darien whirled to face her, though still being careful of his foot. "H-how do you know my name?" he asked in surprise. "I didn't tell you."

Serena hesitated before answering. _Oh great, I've done it now! I messed up!_ She could just hear Luna in the back of her mind, telling her that she had to start thinking before she said things, or she was going to get herself in big trouble one day. Finally she decided to look at him as if it were a stupid question.

"Because I'm Sailor Moon, that's how. Now please, just get out of here! Run! Get as far away as you can and let me take care of her!"

But Darien chose to ignore her warning, and turned to look at Zoycite again.

"Why?" he demanded. "Why did you do it? Why did you try to kill us? Why did you have to kill _her_!" he shouted, the tears in the corners of his eyes threatening to escape.

"To lure your fiend Sailor Moon here out, of course," she replied. But then she smirked, "That wasn't all though, Darien. No, I _enjoyed_ it," she said taunting him. She laughed as something between a grimace of pain and a glare of anger appeared on Darien's face. "And it was so pathetic how upset you were over the death of that puny little meatball-headed girl!" she scoffed. "It was so hilarious! I haven't had that much fun in years!"

Now Darien was angry; more angry than he ever remembered being. He couldn't reach Zoycite, or he would have jumped her in a split second. Instead, he picked up the nearest rock. Zoycite laughed at his tortured expression.

"You monster!" Darien screamed, launching the rock at her, his tears flowing freely again. Zoycite only moved out of the way, and he didn't come anywhere near hitting her, but he grabbed a handful and continued to throw them at her. "How could you!" he sobbed as he tried to pummel her. "Who do you think you are! What did you think you were doing! Because of you, an innocent girl is dead! You-"

"Darien, stop!" Sailor Moon cried, stopping him before he uttered the curse he'd had in mind. "Don't make her angry! Get out of here!" she continued. And he did stop. He stood, glaring up at Zoycite in fury, teeth clenched and face wet. But it was already too late to keep from angering her.

"Why you little-!" she exclaimed. Growling in anger, she threw a beam of nega-energy at him.

"No!" Serena cried as Darien tried to get out of the way. But he didn't make it, his injury slowing him down, and it hit him in the shoulder, knocking him back to the ground. He went down with a cry of pain, then lay there, gasping, one hand on his broken ankle, hurting from the fall, and the other on his now injured shoulder.

"Darien! Are you okay?" Sailor Moon cried in alarm. She saw him nod weakly, but didn't hear his verbal answer if he gave one. Her attention turned back to Zoycite, who was moving in on her.

Sailor Moon raised her wand. "MOON HEALING-AH!" She cried out in mid-phrase when Zoycite knocked the crescent wand out of her hand. Wincing in pain as she gripped her now slightly scorched hand, Serena watched it skitter away across the ground.

"My wand!" she yelped.

Zoycite gave an evil laugh, and Serena gulped and began to back away from her in the direction the wand had gone. What she didn't notice was that very shortly in the direction she was going, the alley dead-ended.

"Sailor Moon!" Darien shouted-or rather, tried too. His voice was weak now, and the exclamation ended in a painful cough. Neither Sailor Moon nor her opponent heard him. Sailor Moon continued to back into a trap, and she was the only one who didn't realize it.

By the time Serena realized what she had gotten herself into, she was too far back to run to her wand without Zoycite being able to take her down easily. Serena screamed.

"AH! Somebody help! I don't wanna die! _Tuxedo Mask, where are you!"_

Darien watched, helpless, as Zoycite prepared to wipe out Sailor Moon with one deadly blow of energy. He knew he should protect her-he wanted with all of his heart to protect her-but what could he do? He couldn't transform into Tuxedo Mask in front of her, and he was probably too weak to do it now, anyway. Racking his brain as quickly as he could, finally he swallowed hard, realizing that there was only one thing he _could _do.

Meanwhile, Zoycite laughed. "Well, it was nice knowing you, Sailor Moon, but now I think it's time we said goodbye-for good!"

She raised her hands to deliver the killing blow, and Sailor Moon screamed again. Behind Zoycite, Darien staggered to his feet, sweat gathering on his face as he gasped from the pain in his ankle and shoulder, his chest heaving. But, ignoring it, he ran forward, under Zoycite.

The Negaverse general laughed as she released the burst of energy, but suddenly stopped and gasped when she realized that her plans had been ruined.

Serena barely had time to be shocked when Darien jumped in front of her before Zoycite's blast took him in the chest. He screamed in agony, and the sheer force of the blow knocked him into Sailor Moon and sent both of them flying backwards into the wall of the alley.

Darien moaned and fell to the ground, the front of his shirt and jacket now covered in blood and scorch marks.

"Darien!" Sailor Moon yelled, quickly forgetting about the resounding pain she was feeling from the impact with the wall. Quickly she knelt down beside him, but before she could do anything else Zoycite's voice interrupted her worries.

"You may have gotten out of it this time, Sailor Moon, but I'll get rid of you next time!" she cried. Then with that, she disappeared.

"Wait!" Sailor Moon shouted after her, but she was already gone.

Gulping, Serena looked back down at Darien. Lifting his body off the ground, she held him, calling his name.

"Darien! Darien, can you hear me? Darien!"

He groaned, "Not so loud…"

Serena frowned. Those words seemed familiar…Then she remembered. She had used them not long ago, when Raye and Darien were calling her, looking for her in the wreckage of the ferris wheel car on top of the roof. Slowly, the rest of her memories of what had happened before she blacked out came back. She remembered falling, the pain of the wounds she knew she'd had, Darien holding her like she was holding him now, both he and Raye begging her not to die…It helped some, but she still didn't know how her wounds had been healed, how she had gotten off the roof and ended up in the alley as Sailor moon, or why Darien thought she was dead. But that didn't matter at the moment, as tears filled her eyes.

"Oh Darien," she cried. "Why? Why did you protect me? You could have been killed!"

Slowly Darien's eyes opened, and he looked up at Sailor Moon through a haze of excruciating pain, struggling to breath.

"This city needs you, Sailor Moon," he rasped painfully. "The world needs you. Was I supposed to let you be killed? I didn't have a choice." Then his eyes closed again and he coughed, grimacing from the extra pain in caused. Hating that he was hurting so much, the tears in Sailor Moon's eyes started to fall, and she began to cry softly.

Hearing the sound, Darien opened his eyes again and smiled at her weakly. "Hey, it'll be all right. Don't cry over me. You don't even know me." But of course, he didn't know that she did.

Moaning, Darien's eyes re-closed a second time, but this time they didn't open again. He had lost consciousness.

How could things have changed so drastically in just an hour? Serena wondered sadly. Then, it had been her who was dying in Darien's arms, and now it was Darien who was dying in hers.

Collapsing into tears, Serena hugged his motionless body. "Oh, Darien, I'm sorry I get so mad at you," she wept. "I won't do it anymore, and I won't even say anything when you call me meatball-head, just please don't leave!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Realizing that crying wouldn't help Darien, Sailor Moon calmed herself. Gently laying him back down, she reached for her communicator, the new calculator-looking pink things with the small round screens at the top.

"Hey guys," she said urgently. "Raye, Lita, Amy, somebody come in."

A moment later, Raye's face appeared on the screen. "There you are, Serena, where have you been? It's been so long since you ran off, and why are you still transformed?"

Serena started to tell them what happened, but went to fast, still worried about Darien and wanting to let them know as quickly as possible.

"Well, I didn't find Tuxedo Mask, but I did run across Darien, and then Zoycite showed up, and she tried too kill me, but Darien got in the way, and now he's hurt, and-"

"Whoa, Sailor Moon, slow down!" Raye said quickly, stopping her.

Amy's face took the place of Raye's. "Yes, please, we can't understand you."

"Yeah, we can tell you're upset, but we can't help you if we don't know what you're saying, Serena," Lita added, appearing on the screen. "Try again."

Serena's fist clenched. "Guys, I don't have time to try again! Darien's dying, and I can't get him the hospital by myself! I need your help, now!"

"What!" Raye cried. "What do you mean, he's dying, what happened to him?"

"I tried to tell you; Zoycite showed up and tried to kill me, but he got in the way," Sailor Moon said. "Now would you three quit jabbering and get over here!"

Amy came up again. "Just calm down, Serena, we'll be there as quickly as we can, all right? Don't worry. We'll get Darien to the hospital, and he'll be fine, okay?"

Serena swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. "Okay…"

"That's a good girl, now just stay there. There's no need to try to tell us where you are; I can pinpoint your location with my Mercury computer. And like I said-stay calm, Serena."

Serena nodded again, and then the screen went blank.

* * *

The three sailor scouts looked at each other as they changed the direction they were walking down the street to go back towards the park instead of farther away. Raye was the one who looked the most worried.

"Guys, I think we should transform again. We can get there faster as scouts than as ourselves," she said almost immediately.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," the ever-ready Lita agreed. "What about you, Amy?"

"Let's do it," she nodded.

* * *

Sailor Moon sat quietly at Darien's side, silently begging him to hold on, when a sudden image flashed through her mind. She jumped in surprise. It had happened so quickly that she didn't know what it had been or where it had come from. She looked around her, but saw nothing unusual. Sighing, she looked down at Darien again. He hadn't moved since he had blacked out, and that worried her, but she didn't know what else she could do but stay here with him until the scouts arrived and could help her get him to the hospital.

That was when the image came back. This time she got a better view of it. It was of a handsome young man with his back to her, speaking to an evil-looking woman that somehow was floating in front of them. It was still to short for her to make out any words, but the man's voice was familiar, and that profile…

But then it disappeared again.

"Darien?" she whispered.

It returned a second time. Now it almost as if she was inside it, there, but in no control of what was happening. The scene was bizarre. Around them was what looked like a crumbling kingdom. The young man in front of her was dressed like a prince, and she like a princess. The prince said something to the woman in front of him that angered her, and above them the morbid-looking clouds crackled with green energy. The young man turned, putting his arms around her to protect her, and that was when she saw his face-he looked exactly like Darien. If she had had any control over what was happening, or over whatever body she was in, she would have gasped.

But she didn't have time to wonder why she couldn't, as at that moment the green energy in the clouds shot down, destroying everything in its path and finally settling over the balcony they stood on. Shouting in alarm, the prince that looked like Darien was sucked into its midst, and Serena was knocked down.

"Darien, what is happening!" she cried. _What? Why did I say that? And why did I call him Darien? That can't be Darien! What's going on!_ Serena thought frantically. But she got no answer.

"Serena, run! Just run!" the young man called even as he was swept away.

_What? How does he know my name? Am I me? What is this!_

Still with no control over her body, Serena stood and ran toward the edge of the balcony. "No Darien, I want to be with you!" _Huh? _she thought. _Be with Darien? Somebody help! I'm confused! I don't like Darien! And who is this guy? It can't really be Darien! _

"No, Serena, you can't!" the prince called. But she continued to run anyway, and seconds later jumped into the whirlwind and was sucked up, toward him, yelling in fear. "Serena, don't! Serena!" he cried.

"Darien!" she answered, reaching out to him. He reached out for her as well, and finally their hands clasped. For some reason, Serena suddenly felt like crying, and she was sure that her real body was. It was obvious that whoever's body she was in, and whoever this Darien and Serena were, that they loved each other, would even give their life for the other, and now it seemed that both were going to die.

_But why am I seeing this from the point of view of the girl, and not just seeing it happening? Who are these people? What is this place? _

But then, another beam of energy shot from the clouds, this time deadly. It struck the prince and princess and, screaming each other's names, they were pulled apart. Seconds later, everything went black for Serena.

* * *

Serena gasped as she opened her eyes. She looked around her; she was back in the alley. Her face felt cold. Touching it, she found that it was wet. She 'had' been crying during the daydream. Or was that what it had been? Then why had it seemed so vivid?

Drying her tears, Sailor Moon looked down at Darien. He seemed even worse than before, more pale. _Oh Scouts, you'd better hurry up! _

A moment later she looked up when her name was called.

"Sailor Moon!"

It was Sailor Mars, in the lead as all three sailor scouts ran up to her and Darien. Raye knelt on the other side of him. Putting a hand on his shoulder, she shook him gently.

"Darien, can you hear me?" she asked.

"He won't answer you," Serena said. "He's been out for a while."

Raye looked at her and gulped. "Then come on; we'd better get him out of here."

"I agree," Amy said. "He looks bad. If we don't hurry…" She trailed off.

"This happened to him because he tried to protect you?" Lita asked worriedly.

Tears filled Serena's eyes and she nodded. "Yes…" she whispered, and then looked down at him once again. "Oh please, Darien, don't die on me!"

* * *

Later that day, Serena sat on the steps of the temple with Raye, Lita, and Amy. She sighed heavily.

"Do you guys think Darien will really be all right?" she asked again.

"Would you stop asking that?" Raye asked in annoyance. "We stayed until they had him stabilized."

Amy nodded. "Yes, but he isn't through the worst of it. They said that if he made it through the night, though, that he should be all right."

"What do you mean, _if_!" Serena cried.

"Do you have to me so frank, Amy?" Lita said, then put a hand on Serena's shoulder. "Don't worry, Serena. Yes, there's a chance that he might not make it, but the doctor also said that they were optimistic. Darien will be fine."

"All right," Serena sighed. "Thanks guys." Then she looked up at them, worry on her face again. "Wait…" she began. "We were transformed when we brought him in earlier, so how am I supposed to get back in to see him tomorrow?"

"His condition should have improved by tomorrow, so they should be able to let you in to see him as a friend."

Raye giggled. "Even though they're not exactly friendly with each other."

Serena glared at her. "Oh lay off, Raye." Then she stood. "Guys, I don't really feel like hanging around anymore today. No offense, but I think I'll just go home, okay?"

The others nodded, wished her a good night, and then watched her go, concern on their faces.

"What I want to know is if 'she's' going to be all right," Lita said when Serena was gone.

Luna stood, now awake from her nap on the steps, and stretched. "Oh, she'll be fine," the cat answered. "I know she's a meatball head, but she's stronger than she seems, or thinks she is. She'll make it."

"You really think so, Luna?" Amy asked.

Luna nodded. "Of course. What I'm still trying to figure out, though, is why 'Darien' would want to protect Sailor Moon. I know Tuxedo Mask probably would have, and I could even understand Darien wanting to keep 'Serena' safe, but Sailor Moon? He doesn't know Sailor Moon, I and know he doesn't know that Serena is Sailor Moon." She shook her head. "I just don't get it."

Raye nodded. "Me either, but maybe Serena will find out something tomorrow when she goes to see Darien. If she doesn't, then maybe I can. I'm going to go see him, too." She sighed. "I just hope Darien's still okay by tomorrow."

* * *

That night, Serena tossed and turned, nightmares of Darien not surviving and revisits to the vision she'd had converging to make an all too uncomfortable sleep. Luna kept watch over her from the end of the bed, silently hoping that Darien would be all right in the morning. If he wasn't, there was no telling how Serena would react, but it certainly couldn't be good for her. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Early the next morning, Darien's eyes finally opened. At first he looked around the hospital room in surprise. _I'm alive._ he thought incredulously. He hadn't expected to wake up when he had lost consciousness in Sailor Moon's arms after taking Zoycite's blast to protect her.

Wondering how bad the injuries were, he tried to sit up, and that proved to be a mistake.

"Uhhhhh…" he groaned, putting a hand to his head as he dropped back against the pillows. He had a splitting headache, and from then on, he tried to take stock without moving so much: There was an IV in one of his arms, and he was wearing a hospital gown, as he'd thought. Other than that, there were bandages under the gown over his shoulder, where he'd been hit the first time, and around almost his entire middle, from the second and most potent. There was also a cast on his ankle.

Then a nurse entered the room, having been alerted to the fact that he was awake. Darien spoke to her for a few moments, attempting to discover what had happened to him after he had blacked out the last time. Apparently, the sailor scouts and Sailor Moon had gotten him to the hospital just in time. If it had been just a few minutes later, he would have died. The scouts had stayed until he had been stabilized, and then left. The nurse also informed him that it had been a close call, he was seriously injured, and he would need to stay in the hospital for a couple of days at least, but that in a few weeks he should be good as new.

Glad to hear it, Darien settled back on the bed again as she left. He should have been happy. After all, he had protected Sailor Moon, and he was still alive. He would be perfectly fine in a few weeks. But all he could think about was Serena. Poor Serena. She had disappeared after her death, somehow, and so he and Raye were probably the only ones who knew she was gone. And Darien would miss her-that meatball hair, her attractive smile, how cute and funny she looked when she got angry at him…

Just recently, they had been forced to send time together when the painter formerly known as Lonnie Lanigh had asked them to pose for a painting. Neither of them had liked it at the time, but know he looked back at it fondly, wishing that Serena was still alive, and could be sitting next to him right now, as she'd had too then.

Darien sighed, gulping back the lump that tried to form in his throat again. "Oh Serena," he whispered, a single tear finding its way from his eye and down his cheek. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

Serena woke with a start. She looked at the clock and yelped in surprise. "Ah! Visiting hours at the hospital start soon! I've got to get going! Oh, thank goodness it's a Saturday!"

The previous day she had been in her school uniform, having gone straight to the park after detention to avoid getting in trouble with her parents. Today though, she jumped out of bed and put on her own clothes, after digging through a mussed stack of them on the floor to find what she wanted.

Luna shook her head as she watched Serena hurry into her favorite jumper and long-sleeved shirt-which she had to admit looked flattering on her-and sighed.

"Serena, I've never seen you so eager to get out of bed and get out of here. And on a Saturday? Regardless of Darien's position, I thought you'll sleep until at _least_ noon."

Serena glared at her cat. "Oh come on, Luna. Even _I _realize that making sure Darien is okay is more important that getting plenty of sleep."

Luna sighed. "If only you would realize that school is, too."

Serena rolled her eyes as she made her way out the door. "Whatever. Anyway, I'm gone. Are you coming?"

"No, I thought I'd stay with Amy today."

Serena stopped just outside the gate to her house and looked down at the cat. "But you just stayed with her yesterday."

"I know," Luna began slowly. "But I thought that since you were going to see Darien today that I'd leave you alone."

Serena smiled and squatted down beside her. "Thanks Luna," she said, hugging her feline companion.

"You're welcome I suppose," Luna said, and then watched as Serena walked off, wondering if she had done the right thing.

* * *

As soon as Luna was out of sight, Serena's cheerful facade faded away, and she broke into a run. _Oh Darien, please be all right! _she thought desperately.

* * *

When Serena arrived at the hospital, she was relieved to find that Darien was all right. It had been a rough night, trying to keep him alive, but now they could be sure that he was going to make it, even if it did take a while for him to recover.

Even though she was happy that Darien would live, and that she could see him, Serena still hesitated outside the door to his room. He was asleep now, but what would happen when he woke up? Would he be happy that she was okay, or angry that e had been so upset over nothing? Would he want to see her, or make her leave? Should she even go in there in the first place? If she didn't tell him she was alive, someone else would. It wasn't like he would never know if she didn't do it...Finally she gulped, coming to a decision.

_This is something I have to do,_ she thought to herself._ I've got to go in there and talk to him. If I don't, I might never forgive myself. But why am I so freaked out! Okay, calm down Serena. The guy did save your life, after all. He's not so bad._

Calming herself, Serena stepped into the room and re-closed the door behind her. Then she stepped to the side of the bed, where Darien seemed to be resting peacefully. He only clue otherwise was the fact that his face, especially around his eyes, was a bit more pink that usual. Had he been crying again? At first she didn't want to disturb him, but then he started to moan in his sleep, his head lolling back and forth.

"No…" he groaned. "No, please…Serena…Serena don't go…"

Serena's eyes widened. _He must be dreaming about the accident._ _Oh Darien…_

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted when Darien suddenly shouted.

"Serena!" he yelled. His eyes flew open, and he tried to shoot into a sitting position, but failed from his flagging strength.

Serena but a hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him back against the pillows, knowing he didn't need to be trying that at the moment.

"Whoa! Calm down, big guy. I'm right here," she said, giving him a smile.

Darien turned quickly to look at her, and gasped. "S-Serena!" He pulled away from her quickly and backed toward the other side of the bed. He put a hand to his head. "No, not Serena. I'm hallucinating. Serena's dead…" he said as if she weren't there. But of course, he didn't believe she was. He closed his eyes. "You're just dreaming," he said shakily to himself as Serena watched on with amused interest. "She can't be here!"

Then Darien opened his eyes again. When he saw that she was still there, he closed them again and groaned. "Ohh, what's happening to me?"

Serena giggled softly and reached across the bed to touch his arm. "Nothing's happening to you, Darien. It's me."

"But you're dead," he whispered. He kept his eyes tightly closed, but this time didn't move away from her touch. In the corners of his eyes, she saw tears forming, and in his voice she heard a bit of hope. Encouraged, Serena kept going.

"No, I'm not," Serena said. "Why would you think that? What did you see on that roof?"

"You died!" Darien cried. "I was holding you when you died. But then that broach on your chest started to glow, and the wounds and the blood disappeared, and I thought you were breathing again, but I must have been wrong, because then you just disappeared!"

Raye had already described to Serena what she had seen, and she knew it had been more than that, but still she was surprised. Gulping, she pressed on.

"Well, I don't remember that part, because I was out. All I remember is waking up in the alley beside the building, perfectly fine. Darien, maybe we'll never know what happened, exactly, but it happened. I'm fine, and I'm right here. Come on, Darien, please, open your eyes and look at me. You'll see. I really am here."

Darien took a shaky breath, then finally opened his eyes. His eyes grew wide when he saw her. Serena removed her hand from his arm, then held her own arm out.

"Go on, touch it," she said gently.

Swallowing hard, Darien moved back to the middle of the bed where he was supposed to be, and then hesitantly reached out and touched Serena's arm. When his hand didn't pass right through it, as he had half expected, he pulled in a sharp breath.

"Serena…" he said softly, his voice cracking as the tears that had gathered in his eyes began to fall silently. Then he sat up all the way and embraced her tightly, surprising her. "You really are all right!" Darien said in relief.

Serena felt a few of Darien's tears fall on her neck, and a lump formed in her own throat. Finally she decided to return the hug, and gently put her arms around him as well, smiling.

A moment later, both realized what they were doing and pulled away quickly. Darien coughed.

"Uh, yeah, meatball head, I'm glad you're okay. Wouldn't, uh, wouldn't want you to go dying on me."

Serena gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah, right. And, um, I'm happy that you're going to be all right, too, Darien."

Then, turning red, both looked away.

After a couple of minutes of uncomfortable silence, Serena spoke again. "Well…I'd better get going. The girls and I were going to get together today, and the doctors didn't want me to bother you for too long, anyway, so…See ya!" She started to back out of the room.

Darien nodded. "Okay…. Later meatball head."

Serena nodded in return, then left.

Darien watched her go, then smiled. "You weren't bothering me, Serena," he said quietly.

* * *

Okay, I know this probably seems like the end, and it pretty much is, but just so you know: There will be one more chapter, an epilouge, and it may be a day or two, but I'll get it up as quickly as I can. I hope you are njoying the story!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Andrew raised a hand in greeting, a grin spreading over his face, when he saw Darien walk into the arcade.

"Hey, Darien!" he called, making his way toward his friend. The young man turned and saw him and smiled, but didn't seem as upbeat as usual. It was no wonder though; he'd been in the hospital for a week.

"Hey Andrew," Darien replied as his friend reached him.

"They finally let you out, huh?" Andrew asked.

"Uh huh," Darien said, but then winced. "I still have some recovering left to do, though."

"Yeah, I suspected that, but don't worry, you'll be okay. I know you, Darien. You'll bounce back before I can look twice." With that, Andrew gave him a friendly clap on the shoulder-but unfortunately had a memory lapse at the same time.

Darien cried out in pain and stepped/fell away from him. "AH! Andrew, that's the wrong one!"

Andrew gasped in surprise and jumped back at his outburst and from realizing what he'd done. "Sorry, Darien! I forgot! I didn't mean to hurt you! I-"

Still gasping, Darien looked back at him. "It's okay, Andy, it's okay. Calm down. I know you didn't mean to. Finally catching his breath, he grimaced and straightened. "But I'm never going to be _able_ to bounce back if you keep doing that."

Andrew gave a nervous laugh. "Uh, yeah. I really am sorry, Darien. After visiting you in the hospital several times, you would think I would remember which shoulder it was you'd hurt."

Darien smiled at him. "Like I said, it's okay. Oh, and thanks about that-about coming to visit me. Serena came once, but other than that, you're the only person who did. I appreciate it."

"No problem. What are friends for, right? Hey, did you say _Serena_ came once?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Just curious. It seems strange. I thought you two hated each other."

Darien shrugged. "I don't know. It seemed strange to me, too," he lied. Of course he knew why she had come. She'd had to come. She had to tell him she was still alive. And he still couldn't believe it. All week, when Serena hadn't come back again, he'd wondered if he'd dreamed it. But now that he was talking to Andrew about her, he knew she really must be alive.

And he could see why she hadn't come to see him any more after that. After all, they weren't very fond of each other. But now…now he wasn't sure what he thought about her. And what about Sailor Moon? When they had met in the alley, she had known his name. She didn't know he was Tuxedo Mask, but she did know his name. How? She hadn't given him a real answer. And then he had saved her, jumped into front of Zoycite's beam to prevent her from being killed. Why had he done it? At the time, it had just seemed right, like some unexplainable force was telling him that he should. He still couldn't explain it. And why did she remind him so much of Serena? They couldn't be the same person. They were so different. He had to find out who Sailor Moon was. That was all there was to it. He had to know. But he would figure out how he would go about that later. For now, he needed to find Serena. He wanted to see her for some reason.

Sighing, Darien looked around. "Hey, by the way, have you seen Serena around here today?"

"No, not today. She hasn't been out much since the accident at the park. I don't know what's wrong with her. She always seems so down-out of it, you know?"

Darien frowned. "Really? That's not like her. She may be a crybaby, but she's not one to get depressed. Or am I guessing her wrong?"

"No, you're right. That's why I'm worried. I've tried talking to her, but haven't had any luck," Andrew shrugged.

"Mmm," Darien said. _Well, maybe I'll get lucky and she will come in today. Or maybe I should just walk around town, and I'll find her. It's always worked before._ He smiled to himself. _Not to mention it usually served to get me hit in the face with something, whether it was a crumpled paper or a shoe.

* * *

_

Serena sighed as she lay on her back in the middle of her bed, staring at the ceiling. She'd done a lot of nothing that week, and today was no different. Lita, Amy, and Raye had managed to drag her to the arcade after school two or three times, but she hadn't stayed long or done much.

_What's wrong with me? _she wondered. _Why can't I stop feeling like it was my fault Darien got hurt?_

_Because it was your fault! _A part of her mind yelled at her. _If you hadn't been such an idiot, he wouldn't have needed to jump in front of that blast to save you. He wouldn't have had to fight for his life the rest of that day! _

Serena put her hands to her face and moaned. "Oh great, now I'm coming apart at the seams. This is 'just' what I need."

The truth was, not only did she feel terrible, but she didn't know when Darien would get out of the hospital and didn't want to risk running into him. She just couldn't face him again. She'd barely gotten through it the first time, and when he'd hugged her…well, to say the least that hadn't helped in the nerve department for either of them.

Serena was about to bury herself under her comforter and sulk a bit more when her door banged open and three voices rang out from the open doorway.

"GET UP, SERENA!"

Serena screeched and jumped three feet in the air. Unfortunately, she also jumped three feet forward and landed hard on the floor. From the doorway, Amy, Raye, and Lita laughed.

"Oww!" she cried. "Guys, what did you do that for! That hurt!-both my ears and my but!"

Raye stalked into the room. "Well, serves you right, Serena! If you had stopped pouting and come out of your room, we wouldn't have had to!

"But Raye, you just don't understand how I feel!" Serena whined.

"I was there when the accident happened too! I fell three stories and got hurt, too, but I'm not as down about it as you are. It's over, Serena. Get over it."

Serena sniffed. "B-but it's not just that. Tuxedo Mask was hurt when we saw him, and I don't know how he is, and then Darien got hurt and almost died all because of me, and-"

"Serena, calm down," Amy interrupted as she and Lita came up behind Raye. "I'm sure Tuxedo Mask is fine, and I know Darien is fine."  
"Yeah, Serena, why don't you just come to the arcade with us," Lita said.

"I don't know…" Serena looked at Amy as she stood up. "Are you sure Darien is okay?"

Amy nodded and smiled. "Yes. In fact, Raye told me he got out of the hospital yesterday."

Serena sighed heavily and fell back onto the bed. "In that case, I _definitely _don't want to go anywhere."

"Why not!" Raye asked.

"Because I might run into him! I don't know what I'd do if that happened! I couldn't handle it!"

"Oh, don't be such a fraidy cat, Serena," Lita scolded, crossing her arms.

"But I couldn't! I didn't even tell you what happened when I went to see him the day after the accident, did I?"

"No, you didn't, but I don't care," Raye said, grabbing Serena's arm, who yelped. "You are coming with us right now, you hear me Serena? You are getting out of this house!"

"Let go of me, Raye, let go!" Serena cried. But none of the girls listened as they dragged her out of the house and down the street, laughing the entire way at her antics.

* * *

Darien looked up from the arcade game he was playing and removed his sunglasses when he heard the sound of a familiar voice shouting, coming from down the street. A moment later, Serena's three friends pulled her into the arcade. Lita noticed Darien and nudged the other two, who nodded and let go of her, turning her to face his direction. The young man suppressed a smile and a laugh of amusement. He just watched on.

When Serena was released, she sighed, and was about to relax when she noticed Darien as well.

"Guys, I told you!" she yelped. Then, acting for the most part as if he weren't there, she turned and tried to walk out. But her friends weren't going to let that happen. They grabbed her and kept her from going any further, but she still pushed with her arms and tried to move forward with her feet.

"Come on, people, let me go!"

Darien couldn't keep from laughing at that sight.

Hearing his laugh, Serena turned and looked at him, a frown on her face.

"What are you laughing at!" she yelled, trying to cover her nervousness at being confronted with him. Darien smiled, wondering why anyone was worried about her. She seemed her normal self to him.

Darien stood. "Whoa, meatball head, calm down. I just wanted to thank you for coming to see me in the hospital."

Serena's face straightened at that, and she did calm down. "Oh…uh, thanks. You're…you're welcome, I guess." Then she frowned again and put her hands on her hips. "But I've told you not to call me meatball head!"

Darien walked toward her. "Sorry…meatball head." He laughed, then walked past her and out of the arcade, putting his sunglasses back on.

Forgetting her nervousness, Serena growled in aggravation stormed after him. Stopping at the door to the arcade, she yelled after him angrily.

"You creep! If you don't quit that, I'll, I'll!-"

Her yelling continued, but Darien didn't turn. He simply raised a hand and called over his shoulder. "Later, meatball head!" As Serena's fresh burst of anger faded into the distance, Darien smiled to himself, satisfied with the encounter. He might never understand what had happened at that amusement park, but that was okay, because things were now definitely back to normal.

THE END

* * *

Yes, it's over, but don't worry. This isn't my last Sailor Moon story! Be looking for my next one shortly! I have a lot of ideas. I just have to figure out which one to do next. So…I'll be back! (Evil laugh. Isn't this fun?) 


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